Friday, August 19, 2011

Beyond the holy town of Badrinath, there lie many favored trekking routes into the pristine ranges of the Himalayas that attract visitors from both home and abroad. Listed below are some of these places which I could not get a chance to visit this time around but would surely love to cover atleast once in my lifetime:

Govindghat

The confluence of Alaknanda and Lakshman Ganga rivers, it’s the spot of the magnificent Gurudwara (Sikh shrine) named after the tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Govind Singh. About 275 kms from Rishikesh, it is also the starting point to numerous trekking routes in the Garhwal Himalayas.

Hemkund Sahib

In the lap of higher Himalayas, around 14000 ft above sea level in the Chamoli district of Uttaranchal, is situated the very sacred Hemkund Lake also known as the Lokpal Lake. Besides this lake is the holy Sikh Gurudwara dedicated to the tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh who became one with God after performing penance here. Touted as the highest pilgrimage spot in the world, the lake and its picturesque surroundings form an important pilgrimage not only for the Sikhs but for people from other faiths as well. Nearby is a Lakshman temple where Lakshman, the younger brother of Ram, is said to have performed meditation.

Hemkund Sahib and the Hemkund Lake.

Hemkund is a Sanskrit name derived from

'Hem' meaning snow and 'Kund' meaning bowl

(image courtesy sikhnet.com)

Hemkund Sahib (also known as Gobinddham), situated along the banks of the Hemkund Lake, is surrounded by seven huge snow-covered mountains which are collectively called 'Hemkund Parvat'.

How to reach - The take-off point for Hemkunt Sahib is the town of Govindghat. The 13 kilometres trek is along a reasonably well maintained path which passes through the village of Ghangaria.

Valley of flowers

About 3 kms from Hemkund Sahib lies the 5 km long stretch called Valley of Flowers, an exceptionally beautiful high-altitude Himalayan valley in the upper reaches of Garhwal with river Pushpawati flowing through it. Discovered by Frank S Smith – a mountaineer, explorer and a botanist, the area lies on the Zanskar range of the Himalayas with the highest point in the national park being Gauri Parbat at 22043 ft above sea level.

The Mesmerizing beauty of the Valley of Flowers

(image courtesy panoramia.com and trekearths.com)

Declared a national park in 1982 by the Indian government and now a World Heritage Site, this enchanting part of Uttarakhand is inaccessible through much of the year and shuts down for visitors if the weather is absolutely bad. Legend has it that a flower called Brahma-Kamal (the state flower of Uttarakhand) blossoms here every 12 years.

There are strict rules for the trekkers here to preserve the valley in immaculate condition. Camping and overnight stay is not allowed in the Valley of Flowers, Ghangaria is the logical base camp for the trek.
How to reach - Getting to the Valley of Flowers requires a trek of about 19 km from the town of Govindghat. The nearest major town is Joshimath in Garhwal, which has convenient road connections from Haridwar and Dehradun, both about 270 km from Joshimath.
Satopanth Tal

A triangular shaped lake, each side about 1 Km long, situated at an altitude of 23211 ft, Satopanth Tal is on the route taken by the Pandava brothers on their Swarga Yatra (descent to heaven). It is named after the Hindu Trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh. All around the lake stand mighty Himalayan snow peaks namely Mt. Neelkanth (21638 feet), Mt. Satopanth (23,206 feet), Mt. Swargarohini (20507 feet), Mt. Chaukhamba I (23413 feet) and Mt. Balakun (20040 feet). One also gets some stunning views of the famous Himalayan giant peaks like Chaukhamba, Neelkanth, Swargarohini &amp;amp; Narain Parbat enroute Satopanth lake. It is a very hard trek and a good experienced guide is advisable.

The term Satopanth is derived from two words –

‘Sato’ meaning heaven, and ‘Panth’ meaning path or way

(image courtesy rpmedia.net)

How to Reach - The glacier is just 17 kilometers from the famous holy temple of Badrinath in Chamoli district. The route upto Badrinath is motorable road, from there on after Mana you take the route along with the Alaknanda river. You will come across Vasudhara falls and thereon 5 kilometers ahead is the snout of Satopanth glacier. The trek can be undertaken in summers (May - Oct) only and the left bank of Alaknanda is suitable for camping.

Swargarohini

This is the route the Pandava brothers took for Heaven, Swargarohini

(image courtesy panoramia.com)

Enroute to the Satopanth trek, Swargarohini is a mountain massif in the Bandarpunch Range of the Garhwal Himalayas and comprises of 4 separate peaks. It is the believed to be the sacred path which the Pandavas of the Mahabharta fame had traversed on their way to Heaven.

Hi,Arti.Himalaya has not only high mountains but also the Valley of Flowers. And it's very very beautiful place surrounded by green velvet and blue mountains and white peaks. That beauty is protected by strict rules and inaccessible for much of the year. Great and mysterious!Thank you for sharing mystic places.Have a fabulous weekend! Sarah

This is one of the most mesmerizing post I have seen ... perfect locations that tug my heart ...its decided I am one day going to visit all these locations ... simply out of the world ... and the history associated with each location makes it more beautifull...thanks for sharing these lovely locations

Gorgeous captures, Arti! And what breathtaking views of the Valley of Flowers! Such an incredible place! Thanks as always for sharing the beauty and the history of your country! Fascinating! Have a great weekend!

The Valley was introduced to the world as the Valley of Flowers by Frank S, Smith - mountaineer, explorer, botanist who camped here for several weeks in the monsoon of 1937 and did valuable exploratory work. He authored a book called "The Valley of Flowers" which unveiled the beauty and floral splendours of the valley and thus threw open the doors of this verdant jewel to nature-enthusiasts all over the world.

Hi, Arti! This time I'm fascinated especially by the Valley of Flowers. The waterfall, mist-hung mountain, shades of green of the mountains, and the blooming flowers, all create the magical world. Thank you for sharing.

We are truly blessed to be born in such a beautiful country. Badrinath and surroundings seem to be really beautiful. I have never heard of a temple for Lakshmana. Interesting! Would surely love to visit these places sometime.

Its always nice to come back to your blog.Will read all the posts that I missed since I was away.I have heard of most of the places that you have pointed here but never been to them.Uttrakhand is not called Dev Bhoomi for anything.bhardwajme.blogspot.comIts always nice to come back to your blog.Will read all the posts that I missed since I was away.I have heard of most of the places that you have pointed here but never been to them.Uttrakhand is not called Dev Bhoomi for anything.bhardwajme.blogspot.com

reading this post was like reading a fantasy story... the pictures were so good and were related to fantasies in many ways... the flower valley was good, water falls mesmerizing, cloduy snowy peaks vibrant... but it was the Hemkund Sahib that was wonderful... a good post and beautiful pictures...

Arti, thanks for stopping by and visiting my blog. I agree with you, love is about "letting go" and I also believe that is more difficult than many in the West appreciate.

On another note...I had no idea India hold such beauty!! I was fascinated as I studied your pictures. I've seen pictures of cities, and of course I have seen pictures of overwhelming poverty. Thank you for widening my eyes to another aspect of your country.

What gorgeous pictures of the valley! I'm sure the place must be so stunning! Your blog is lovely, Arti....such a great resource for visiting places in India.PS: thanks for visiting my blog and leaving me a note. Hope you'll visit again.

I am also a Pahadi guy and always delighted when somebody posts the beauty of Himalayas. Satopanth is also in my wish list. When I have tracked to Vasudhara, then I came to know about Satopanth-- really a sacred place. I love valley of flowers, devoted to Badrinath ji n Kedarnath ji and Panch Kedar. I request you guys that there are many more places in Uttarakhand to visit---- like Chopta,RoopKund, DeveriaTaal, Auli, ChandraBadni Temple, Gangotri, Yamnotri, list is so long.......Welcome to the "Abode of Gods" - Uttarakhand

dear !so nice to see your photo,s some r incredible..try to go in indian mela,s like sonepur in patna bihar india you weill love to see.or india have so many mela,s..thanks keep it up..thanks lot.tripathi

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I love traveling to spiritual destinations in India and chronicle them in my diary here. Complete with extensive description that includes delightful photographs, places to stay and eat, shopping and much more, the blog aims to help those planning to make a trip to these places or simply provide a virtual tour to the rest.
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